A FORMER Farnworth woman who now lives north of the border was incensed when a shop in her old home town refused to accept her Scottish money.

Adrienne Gosling, who moved to Doonfoot in Ayr two years ago, was so annoyed she wrote to the BEN.

"Oh dear Farnworth. Do you know that there is a United Kingdom? Do you even care?" she wrote. "Can someone bring them up to date? I might feel welcome next time I visit."

Adrienne says she bought more than £7 worth of pies and pasties from a town centre shop.

But when she offered the girl assistant a Scottish £10 note, she was told that the shop did not accept Scottish money.

Adrienne explained to the assistant that, as Farnworth was part of the UK, a Scottish note was legal tender.

"In Scotland, English notes are taken in shops without so much as a second glance," said Adrienne.

But the girl waved the note at the owner who confirmed that the shop did not accept Scottish notes.

"I tried to explain that the note was legal tender and he suggested that I went to a bank and ask them to change it for me.

"At this point I told him that I was an English woman who was proud to be living in Scotland, but was now beginning to feel somewhat ashamed of being English and a former Farnworthian."

Adrienne added: "He refused to take my money, and told me that there were many forged Scottish notes in circulation.

"I could have possible accepted his explanation had he bothered to check the note for authenticity, but he never took it from his assistant to have a close look." Other stores accept Scots currency THE BEN reported last week how bank officials had warned about fake Scottish and Northern Irish £20 notes circulating in the Bolton area. The forgeries are so good they have beaten modern anti-fraud systems.

At least five forged Scottish notes were reported to have been handed over the counter at local NatWest branches and the bank urged the public and shopkeepers to be on their guard.

This week the BEN contacted a random range of shops in Farnworth to see if they would accept Scottish notes. Everyone accepted them.

Large stores including Kwik Save, Asda, Woolworths and B&M Bargains all accept Scottish tender.

Darren Simpson, Kwiksave manager, said: "It's legal tender and we accept it. We do not have a problem with it."

Julie Barnes, a team trainer at the Asda store, said: "We accept Scottish tender although we do not usually hand it back as change. In this store there is not a problem with Scottish notes."

Woolworths and B&M Bargains also said they accept Scottish notes.

Among the pastie shops in Farnworth, Hampsons, Greggs, and Greenhalghs all accept Scottish notes across the counter.

Margaret Cooke, assistant manger at Greggs, said: "I would never humiliate a customer by refusing to accept Scottish notes."

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